Byodo-in temple

©Pavel Tvrdý/500px

Valley of the Temples & Byōdō-In

Windward Coast


It's so peaceful and parklike that it might take you a minute to realize that Valley of the Temples is an interdenominational cemetery. Up at the base of the Koʻolau mountains’ verdant fluted cliffs sits Byōdō-In, a replica of a 900-year-old temple in Uji, Japan. The symmetry is a classic example of Japanese Heian architecture, with rich vermillion walls. The 3-ton brass bell is said to bring peace and good fortune to anyone who rings it.

Bus 65 stops near the cemetery on Kahekili Hwy, but from there it’s a winding 0.7-mile hike up to the temple.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Windward Coast attractions

1. Heʻeia Pier

1.69 MILES

Just north of He‘eia State Park, off the Kamehameha Hwy, is one of the Windward Coast’s only small-boat harbors. Watch the comings and goings of local…

2. Heʻeia State Park

1.72 MILES

This park on Kealohi Point has picnic potential and views of Heʻeia Fishpond to the south. This location was sacred to ancient Hawaiians as a place of…

3. Gyotaku by Naoki

1.86 MILES

You'll probably have seen Naoki's magnificent gyotaku (Japanese-style fish prints) all over Oʻahu in galleries, restaurants and bars, but there's nothing…

4. Moku o Loʻe Island

2.86 MILES

Offshore in Kaneʻohe Bay, Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island), southeast of Heʻeia State Park, was a royal playground, named for the coconut trees planted there…

5. Senator Fong's Plantation & Gardens

3 MILES

A labor of love by Hiram Fong (1907–2004), the first Asian American elected to the US Senate, these flowering gardens aim to preserve Hawaii’s plant life…

6. Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden

3.37 MILES

The dramatic ridged cliffs of the Koʻolau Range are arrayed in front of you like an Imax screen at Oʻahu’s largest botanical garden. It encompasses 400…

7. Keaʻiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

4.9 MILES

In the mountains north of Pearl Harbor, this state park protects Keaʻiwa Heiau, an ancient hoʻola (healing or medicinal) temple. Today, people wishing to…

8. Nuʻuanu Pali State Wayside

5.08 MILES

About 5 miles northeast of Honolulu, turn as indicated to the popular ridgetop lookout with a sweeping vista of Windward Oʻahu from a height of 1200ft. As…